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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: roll · suit · kick · mine · bass · charge · board · bear

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. charge — a price
  5. suit — to fit
  6. charge — in control
  7. bear — the animal
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. board — to get on
  10. mine — for digging
  11. bass — the fish
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. board — a committee
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. charge — electricity
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bass — low music
  21. roll — a list
  22. roll — a cake
  23. kick — in football
  24. board — a flat piece

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com